Happy Birthday Canada!

~ our beautiful country is 148 years old! she doesn't look a day over 147! a day spent with friends, family and fireworks makes for a wonderful day. we love to entertain with our family and friends and wanted to share with you a super easy and delicious dessert Oz made that celebrated the red and white of the true north ~

~ Lemon Cream Cheese Puff Pastry with Strawberries ~

ingredients:

1 package thawed puff pastry

flour {to sprinkle for easy rolling of pastry}

lemon cream cheese filling {recipe below}

strawberries {any berry works. we chose red to represent Canada}

icing sugar {optional ~ for decorative purposes}

~ roll out puff pastry {be sure to liberally sprinkle some flour on your rolling pin and work space as puff pastry sticks}. don't over work it too much, roll out to your desired shape and thickness

~ cut slices in whatever shape you prefer. i did long rectangles because i thought it looked pretty

~ bake according to box instructions but keep an eye on it to be sure it doesn't over bake. you want it raised, golden and flaky, not dark brown and flat

~ allow to cool before spooning mixture. i used about a tablespoon of filling per slice

~ top with strawberries {or whatever berry flavor you desire}

~ voila! a delicious and easy dessert that looks fancy!

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

~ this filling is a staple of mine. i use it for a variety of different desserts, including tarts. it is very easy to make and freezes well if you make too much ~

1 package cream cheese {softened at room temperature}

1 can sweeten condensed milk

a splash of vanilla extract {or to your own preference}

the rind/peel of one lemon

the juice of one lemon {less/more to your own preference}

~ beat cream cheese until smooth with either a hand mixer or kitchen aid

~ add the full can of sweeten condensed milk and continue beating {mixture will be liquid-like at first but will thicken as mixed}

~ add splash of vanilla, combine

~ add lemon peel and juice, combine

~ pour into a small bowl and allow to set in fridge for about 15 minutes before using

Happy April!!

~ happy April 1st!! we aren't ones to play april fools jokes but april still brings with it the promise of sunshine, tulips and mini eggs so that makes us happy campers. we're excited about a few Easter recipes we will be sharing over the weekend, including a delectable cake recipe from Butter! have a wonderful long weekend with your families and we hope the Easter bunny gives you all the mini eggs your heart desires ~ 

creating the prettiest office

~ many of the blogs we read here at Sbd HQ {glitter guide, the everygirl, steph sterjovski, lauren conrad, to name a few} all post about creating an office space that makes you happy and allows you to be the creative self you envision. surrounding yourself with office decor that is just too pretty to handle only makes you want to work at your desk all day. i'm slowly putting together an office space that allows me to do my blogging and writing in an environment that strengthens my creativity. i'm obsessed with all things polka dot and thankfully for me {not so much for my wallet} kate spade sells polka dots galore. i'll share bits and pieces of my office space as i'm building it but i couldn't resist sharing this polka dot prettiness ~

xoxo

StylexBeauty Dept

Oz

#HAPPYDANCE

~our blog is finally up and ready to go again...its been a summer of frustrations, our web designer, Souli, can attest. who knew we'd get hacked so badly that our blog would get shut down? live and learn. we're on a new platform with a bit of revamped design and we can't wait to share our love of everything pretty with you all again! a big thank you to you all for your constant support and patience during this quiet summer. looking forward to our favorite season {fall} and all the goodness it brings~

xoxo
SBDgirls
Oz & Tarah